Let me tell you that stretching is an vital part of Soccer training tips and professional coaches highly recommend it along with almost every player in every sport practicing it daily? As a sport, soccer is growing and developing incessantly in its superiority.

There are two kinds of stretching; static and dynamic, that are slotted in planning training for the soccer season.

Static stretching requires the kids to extend their muscles as far as they can and hold for a given duration of time. Dynamic stretching involves rhythmic bouncing, rebounding and recurring motions. In comparison with static stretching, it is more risky and less useful.

This article shares some of the benefits that stretching provides in helping average players become champions.

Soccer training tips

Stretching reduces injuries: When players do stretching every day and keep doing it for a long time, it promotes their muscle growth that reduces the risk of injury. Stretching also provides a way of improving the size and strength of muscles.

Stretching affects flexibility: Stretching does prevent loss of flexibility. Still, the effects of stretching are way better when it is done for a long period of time than for a shorter duration.

Stretching for some minutes prior to any occasion is liable to improve flexibility. But the best of all soccer training tips is to spread a stretching program over a period of months, leading to a constant increase in range of motion.

Stretching enhances performance: Player’s performance improves when stretching exercises are designed to be soccer specific.

Make stretching fun for the kids: You can do this by including a variety of soccer drills into your training regimen. Keep varying the warm-up activities you do before stretching. Try tag games, ball tag, and keep away.

Focus mentally on the stretching and feel and understand each stretch, checking for stiffness or soreness.

For almost all players, one single 15-30 minute stretch for each muscle group is sufficient but some may need longer stretches and more repetitions.

The reason for this is that when the temperature of muscles is higher than normal, stiffness decreases and extensibility increases. Kids who hope to retain or boost their flexibility can somewhat reach this goal by stretching. It is better, safer, and more productive to do stretching exercises when the body temperature is higher than normal.

For this reason, some kids are made to do stretching even after their workout also. Stretching for five minutes after practicing soccer skills prevents muscles from tightening too fast.

Usually, players who practice an active warm-up ahead of stretching get a superior range of motion than those kids who just stretch. So if injury prevention is your aim, stop stretching before exercise and increase the warm up time.

Some food for thought; one of the most important soccer training tips is that hurried stretching is meaningless and boring and doesn’t help your players gain flexibility, so allow them some extra time when they are feeling inflexible or stiff. You can get more such tips and tactics by subscribing to our youth soccer coaching community that has several relevant articles, videos, and periodic newsletters.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s a recognized expert in the subject of youth soccer coaching. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make training fun in less than 29 days! Download your free pdf guide at: Youth Soccer Drills